Saratoga Springs preps for busy weekend

August 23, 2017 04:38 PM

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Saratoga Springs is busy preparing for its biggest weekend of the year.

Police say they're expecting roughly 125,000 visitors to the Spa City on Saturday. They're planning for a sell-out of the Travers, which features all the winners of this year's triple crown races, and a capacity crowd at the Luke Bryan concert at SPAC.

Because many could be leaving the track at about the same time concertgoers are trying to get to SPAC, police have worked out plans to get everyone in ahead of time.

“We're going to ask everybody to come to whatever venue it is you're looking to go to early,” said Asst. Chief John Catone of the Saratoga Springs Police Dept. “We've made arrangements with all of these venues to open earlier to accommodate the large crowds that we're anticipating."

Police say the track will open at 7 a.m. Saturday. Guests will be expected to pass through magnetometers.

The state park will open at 8 a.m. Saturday and police say SPAC’s Route 50 lots will open at 2 p.m., which is about two-and-a-half hours earlier than typical.